Determinants of Capital Structure in Non-Financial Companies of Pakistan

This paper analyzes the various factors which determine capital structure in non-financial companies listed on Karachi Stock Exchange. Panel data of 113 companies spanning over a period of 10 years is used as our sample. Data is obtained from balance sheet analysis of non-financial listed companies, published by State Bank of Pakistan. Panel data estimation models are employed for data analysis. Our results reveal the factors contributing to determination of capital structure in Pakistan. Profitability and liquidity are negatively related to debt ratio, while free cash flows, interest rates and earnings volatility are positively related to debt ratio. Firm size, growth opportunities, non-debt tax shields and asset tangibility appear to have no significant impact on debt ratio. Keywords?capital structure, debt ratio, profitability, liquidity, free cash flows, tangibility, firm size, earnings volatility, interest rate, non-debt tax shields, growth opportunities, Pakistan

Tissue characterization of benign cardiac tumors by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, a review of core imaging protocol and benign cardiac tumors

Generally, cardiac masses are initially suspected on routine echocardiography. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is further performed to differentiate tumors from pseudo-tumors and to characterize the cardiac masses based on their appearance on T1/T2-weighted images, detection of perfusion and demonstration of gadolinium-based contrast agent uptake on early and late gadolinium enhancement images. Further evaluation of cardiac masses by CMR is critical because unnecessary surgery can be avoided by better tissue characterization. Different cardiac tissues have different T1 and T2 relaxation times, principally owing to different internal biochemical environments surrounding the protons. In CMR, the signal intensity from a particular tissue depends on its T1 and T2 relaxation times and its proton density. CMR uses this principle to differentiate between various tissue types by weighting images based on their T1 or T2 relaxation times. Generally, tumor cells are larger, edematous, and have associated inflammatory reactions. Higher free water content of the neoplastic cells and other changes in tissue composition lead to prolonged T1/T2 relaxation times and thus an inherent contrast between tumors and normal tissue exists. Overall, these biochemical changes create an environment where different cardiac masses produce different signal intensity on their T1- weighted and T2- weighted images that help to discriminate between them. In this review article, we have provided a detailed description of the core CMR imaging protocol for evaluation of cardiac masses. We have also discussed the basic features of benign cardiac tumors as well as the role of CMR in evaluation and further tissue characterization of these tumors

Programmer Assisted Tool Impact on Static Error Handling Capability of Novices in Imperative First Programming Languages

Learning and understanding the syntax of a programming language is an extremely ordeal for novice programmers majoring in computer science. Introduction to programming is offered as a core subject. Novices have to use IDEs to write their programs. These IDEs has a valuable impression of novice error handling skills as static error messages are represented as intricate compiler waffles, terms and puzzling sentences. Docile, easy to understand, simple error messages are of prissy importance to evaluate novice programming aptitude. This research represents the outcomes of programmer assisted tool in natural language for explication of static errors in an imperative first programming language like C. Programmer Assistant tool (PAT) represents natural language description/solution of static errors underpinning Human Computer Interaction (HCI) approach, in the IDE and work as an offline static code analyzer. To assess effectiveness of this PAT novices was directed to write programs in different IDEs first and later using this PAT. Frequency of static errors, error, problem-solving time was analyzed and compared. The result of this study depicts that use of the programmer assisted tool has deep impact on novice performance, motivation and learning outcome. The quantitative mathematical analysis of our study revealed programming assistant tools has significantly influenced programming   and static error handling skills of the students majoring CS

IMPACT OF PAIR PROGRAMMING ON NOVICE PERFORMANCE IN ONLINE FIRST PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE (FPL) DURING COVID-19

The intention of this research is to investigate effectiveness and impact of pairprogramming on the performance of novices in first online programminglanguage like C during covid-19 pandemic. This study analyzed the efficacy ofpair programming used as a teaching tool in online introductory programminglanguage. It was found that pair programming technique in teaching FPL hasconsiderable impact on grades, learning, error handlining, cognitiveprogramming and collaborating learning of novices in CS1.This paper reports onthe final results of novices indicating their progress in first online programminglanguage course. It is indicated that collective erudition had valuable impressionon novice learning outcomes thus making learning first programming languagemore interactive, appealing and exhilarating. We were concentrating on howpair programming has affected performance, retention, dropout rate, femaleand male performance of novices in online programming course. We inferredthat the treatment group with pair programming teaching approach performedbetter in programming and produced better programs with good understandingof error handling and recovery and their confident level much better in theirsolutions and relished with completion of their assignments and achieved bettergrades than the control group, in which no pair programming teaching methodwas used. The results of analysis indicate that in experimental treatment grouppass rate was high, female novices performed more effectively as compared tonon-pairs control group

The Use of Tele-Education in Medicine, During and Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Commentary

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a disease caused by a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), emerged initially as an isolated illness in December 2019 and later progressed to a global pandemic. Hard-hit areas were lockdown, massively disrupting medical education activities. Tele-education, previously used as a means of long-distance education emerged as a solution in the field of medical education. Tele-rotations for medical students, journal clubs and lectures via Microsoft teams, medical conferences via zoom, residency, and fellowship interviews online, all emerged during this pandemic. Some medical students and trainees found it enjoyable, cost-effective, time saving, feasible, unbiased, and preferred mode of education. Challenges related to supervision, availability, affordability, diminished communication, disturbance of streaming, or distractions due to environment. Tele-education has had a boom in the era of COVID-19. Research is needed further on effective mentoring and supervision of trainees via tele educational teaching models